The present invention relates generally to telecommunications networks and, more particularly, to an interface for interfacing client programs with network devices in a telecommunications network.
Telecommunication networks, such as telephone networks, include a number of different components. Typically, telecommunication networks include network devices that are interconnected by links that facilitate communications. Examples of network devices are digital cross-connects (DXCs), multiplexing equipment, line termination equipment, computer systems, and fiber transmission systems. A xe2x80x9clink,xe2x80x9d as used herein, is a physical connection between network devices that carry network traffic. A single link may include multiple trunks where a xe2x80x9ctrunkxe2x80x9d is a logical channel of communication with capacity that traverses one or more network devices and/or one or more links between network devices.
As was mentioned above, network devices may be of many different types. Consider a DXC that switches communication trunks based on external commands. There are many different types of DXCs and there are many different vendors who sell DXCs. Typically, each vendor""s device has its own command set and its own format for data messages that contain commands.
Most telecommunication networks utilize a variety of network devices and managing such devices with common control systems is difficult. For example, a restoration system that restores traffic within a telecommunications network after a failure must be able to communicate with each of the different types of devices that are used to realize restoration. These devices include DXCs. The central control system must be able to send commands to and receive messages from each DXC within the affected area of the network. The central control system must be able to identify the type of device and the format of commands for that device. In addition, the central control system must be able to receive messages in different formats from different types of devices and interpret these messages in a common generic manner. These difficulties are complicated by many of the network devices being programmable devices that execute a given version of software. Identical devices may execute different versions of software and, hence, give rise to additional compatibility issues.
The present invention overcomes the difficulties of the prior art by providing a common interface that may interface multiple client programs with multiple network devices. The interface communicates with the client programs in a common format and communicates with the network devices in device-specific formats. The interface is able to convert communications from the device-specific formats of the network device into the common format of the client programs. Likewise, the interface is able to convert communications from the client programs in the common format into communications in the device-specific formats of the network devices. The interface may also include additional functionality, such as automatic auditing and monitoring of data links to utilize optimal data links.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a method of interfacing a program with network devices is performed by a computer system in a telecommunications network. An interface is provided for interfacing the program with the network devices, where each network devices has a device-specific communication format. A first communication, that is destined to selected network device, is received at the interface from the program in a first format. The interface converts the first communication from the first format to a second format that is the device-specific communication format of the selected network device to which the communication is destined. The converted communication is then forwarded in the second format from the interface to the selected network device.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a telecommunication network includes a program that is run on a processor. The program adopts a communication format for communications. The telecommunications network also includes a number of network devices, where each network device has a device-specific communication format. An interface is provided in the telecommunications network for interfacing the program with the network devices to facilitate communications between the program and the network devices. The interface includes a converter for converting communications from the program that are destined to network devices into the device-specific communication formats of the network devices.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a computer-implemented method is practiced in a telecommunications network that has a network device, a processor that runs a program, and data links that lead to the network device. An interface is provided that interfaces the program with the network device. The interface determines which of the data links is most reliable and determines the data link to be the primary link that is to be used for communications with the network device. Another one of the data links is designated as a secondary link to be used for communications with the network device when the primary link fails.